:: Installing Cornice

Our Crown Cornice -- How We Install It

When choosing a molding contractor, assume nothing, they are not all the same. Some do not apply the finishing touches like dap (caulking) required before painting.  We meticulously dap where the crown meets the ceiling and walls. Other areas that would require dapping would be all inside and outside corners as well as butt joints (where two pieces are joined together).

before dapping

after dapping

All brad nails are 2" (18 gauge) installed in pairs at 45 degrees approximately 16" apart to ensure fastening into the studs. The nail heads are counter sunk into the molding and are then sealed and can not be seen. A light sanding is then applied, and the molding is now ready for it's final coat of paint.

A Clean, No Mess, 1 day Installation

One of the advantages of MDF moldings, unlike plaster, is that the walls and furniture do not have to be covered or draped.  If your house is under construction, the cutting can be done anywhere.  If however you are living in the house, we ALWAYS cut our wood outside, in the garage.  The fine MDF dust would otherwise take days to completely vacuum out.

Why Take Chances?

All wood, including MDF shrinks a little. To minimize the effect of this shrinkage, which causes unsightly cracks, Deco moldings installers use a specially formulated MDF glue, exclusive to  us, on all our joints.

This virtually eliminates service repairs due to shrinkage

In addition, to avoid joints in the seams (which may not show up for up six mouths, we glue a back brace (see photo) behind ALL our seams.  Which why we can offer our warranty . Bracing the back also allows us to make seams disappear.

The Right Glue is Everything

We don't use either white or yellow wood working glue because both of these glues remain slightly flexible, even when they are fully cured.  that means, in time, they allow the MDF wood fibers to slip a bit.  Manufactures call this "creep".  The solution is to use glues that cure rock hard so that creep isn't a problem.

Another thing to consider is that MDF is far more fibrous that solid wood and using water-based glues tends to cause "swelling" at the joints.  The solvent base glues do not swell up the joints, allowing a virtually invisible seam.